Friends
by izzy2
Summary: I am struggling with writer's block. Taking a break from romance.


I am struggling with writer's block, so I am taking a break from romance. I'm actually a Taiora/Mimato fan but thought I would challenge myself to look at the whole Sora/Matt dating part of the show from Tai and Mimi's point of view...  
  
  
Mimi Taichikawa stepped out of the sunlight into the shade of a tree at the edge of her school building. As she had done every school day since she had returned to Japan, she sat under that tree to eat her lunch. She glanced up from unwrapping her sandwich and her eyes widened with curiosity as she noticed her friends Koushiro and Miyako seated on a blanket under a tree less than a hundred yards away, their backs touching, each reading a book. Noticing a movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head and saw Daisuke walking away from the two, grinning from ear to ear. Mimi focused her attention back towards the couple and saw that they had turned to face each other, still seated on the ground. Koushiro held Miyako's hand and was speaking. Miyako blushed and placed her fingers to Kou's lips. Then Miyako smiled sweetly and said something to Kou that caused him to blush. The next moment the two were sharing a sweet kiss. Embarrassed at witnessing such an intimate scene, Mimi blushed and turned her gaze away in time to see Taichi Yagami approaching her. He waved casually to Mimi and dropped to the ground next to her.   
  
"Whoa," he stated, eyeing the two kissing. "When did that happen?"  
  
"I think just now," Mimi responded, "and oddly enough, I think Daisuke had something to do with it."  
  
"You don't say." Taichi responded.  
  
"Mmmhmm," Mimi replied, eyeing her sandwich, which she hadn't bitten into yet.  
  
Taichi raised an eyebrow at Mimi's intense study of her lunch. "Thinking about them?" he asked.  
  
"Them who?" Mimi responded lightly, as she pulled her sandwich into two pieces and handed one piece to Taichi.  
  
Taichi took the half sandwich. "Thanks," he said as he bit into it. "Mimi," he began, once he had swallowed his mouthful of sandwich. "It's okay to admit when you're depressed, or when you're thinking about them. It's not a sign of weakness and it's not being a bad friend."  
  
Mimi bit into the remains of her sandwich. There was a thoughtful look on her face as she chewed and swallowed the morsel of food. She looked up at Tai. "I don't know who you're talking about," she stated and fished through her bag for a thermos. She poured some iced tea into the top of the thermos, which served as a cup, and offered it to Taichi. She then proceeded to drink from the thermos itself.  
  
"Thanks," Taichi said and sipped from the thermos cup. "Look Mimi," he began, "I'm not really good at this sort of thing-"  
  
"What sort of thing?" Mimi interrupted.  
  
Taichi sighed. "The whole 'I'm your friend and I know you're hurting so let me help' sort of thing. It was easier with Matt, we just hit each other until we felt better..."  
  
"Do you want to hit me?" Mimi asked, raising an eyebrow as she drank from the thermos.  
  
"You're avoiding the issue," Taichi accused as he took another bite of the sandwich. "You're supposed to be the bearer of the Crest of Sincerity, or you were at one time. Doesn't that mean you're not supposed to lie about your feelings?"  
  
Mimi reddened. "It's not the Crest of Honesty, Taichi," she retorted. Then she sighed, "But I know what you mean." She paused and placed her sandwich back on its wrapping paper. A tear rolled down her face. Taichi's hand twitched, as though he wanted to catch the tear, but wasn't certain he had the right to do so.   
  
"Mimi," he whispered. She looked up at him with misery pouring from her amber eyes. "I'm sorry, Mimi," Taichi whispered and then held her as she collapsed against his chest, sobbing quietly.  
  
After her tears passed she pulled away and eventually the two lay on the grass side by side, not touching, but lying close enough to take strength from each other's presence. "I just don't have your courage," she stated with envy. "To be able to let him go and never really tell him how I feel and wish him the best no matter what. I mean, Sora's my friend and I want them both to be happy, but, honestly, I think of the two of them together and I'm miserable."   
  
Taichi felt his heart aching for the girl. "It takes courage to admit your feelings, Mimi," he responded, "even if it's only to me."  
  
"Oh, Taichi," she wailed. "I'm such a bad friend. I want them both to be happy, but I can't stand to be near them. Especially when he's holding her and I wish he were holding me instead... I'm sorry. I'm forgetting that you're hurting just as much as I am."  
  
"It's okay, Mimi," he replied, reaching for her hand and holding it as they lay side by side. "It's good to have someone who understands..."  
  
"Whooo, way to go, Yagami!" Taichi and Mimi bolted upright at the sound of the catcalls, coming from two of Taichi's soccer teammates walking by. "It's about time!" they called. They passed the couple and Mimi and Taichi looked at each other, then blushed and glanced away.  
  
"Are you embarrassed?" Mimi asked Taichi after a moment.   
  
Taichi looked into her eyes. "Not at all," he responded with a smile. "If the entire school thinks that I'm dating the prettiest girl in town, then I guess my ego can handle it. What about you? Think you could handle dating the best looking and most talented athlete in school?"  
  
Mimi paused for a moment, acting as if she were thinking it over. "I suppose I could make the best of it," she finally giggled. "But seriously, Taichi," she began, "You know the rumors are flying about us since Sora and Matt started dating."  
  
"I know," Taichi replied. "It's just because we've been spending a lot of time together - commiserating - crying on each other's shoulders..." Tai's gaze met Mimi's. "Do you think we should - you know, go out?"   
  
Mimi blushed. She met his gaze and asked him, "Do you really think we should?"  
  
Taichi gulped. His palms began to sweat. He gathered all the courage he possessed and gave Mimi his answer. "No. It's not you, Mimi. You're beautiful and caring and nice and..."  
  
Mimi placed her fingers over Taichi's lips. He quit babbling and again swallowed hard. "Taichi," she smiled at him. "I'm not hurt at all. I know that if we dated, we'd only be settling. We both want someone else and it's going to take time to get over that. We certainly don't need to mess things up by getting involved with anyone at a time when we're most vulnerable and confused."   
  
Taichi pulled her hand away from his lips and held it in both of his. "You know," he smiled. "A lot of people wouldn't hesitate at the opportunity to console each other by jumping into a relationship."  
  
"We're not 'a lot of people'," Mimi answered as she placed her other hand over his.  
  
"Yeah," Taichi sighed and raised the back of her hand to his lips, smiling ruefully. "We're not."  
  
Mimi smiled and squeezed his hands before letting them drop. The two sat under the shade of the tree for a while after that, talking and smiling.  
  
They never realized that eyes the color of chestnuts followed their every gesture, and that those eyes glittered with unshed tears.  
  



End file.
